Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

Game apparatus comprising a game board which is provided with squares numbered from 2 to 12, corresponding to the available numbers that can be rolled with a pair of dice; a pair of dice; a can-shaped member; spring means to project the latter; and 10 playing pieces. Basically, the game is played by the various participants rolling the dice and moving a number of positions on the board corresponding to the number rolled on the dice. The &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;protector of the can&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; who subsequently rolls the dice captures the playing pieces of those players, if any, who rolled the same number as he did. Any player who rolls 12 releases any captured players, who again become participants. This comprises &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;kicking the can&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; which is physically performed by the player who rolled 12 placing the can-shaped member upon the spring means, depressing same, and projecting the can into the air. The game ends upon capture of all playing pieces by the &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;protector of the can.

United States Patent Impastato 1 Feb. 15, 1972 [54] BOARD GAME APPARATUS[57] ABSTRACT [72] Inventor: Frank Anthony lmpastato, 1240 P nh Gameapparatus comprising a game board which is provided Av n M mi i L 70005with squares numbered from 2 to 12, corresponding to the availablenumbers that can be rolled with a pair of dice; a pair [22] led: 1969 ofdice; a can-shaped member; spring means to project the 2 App] 03, 39latter; and 10 playing pieces. Basically, the game is played by thevarious participants rolling the dice and moving a number of positionson the board corresponding to the number rolled [52] 0.8. CI ..273/l34AD, 273/134 B, 124/7 on the dice The protector ofthe who Subsequentlyruns [51] ll ll. Cl. ..A63f 3/02 the dice captures the playing pieces ofthose players if any, [58] FIG! 0 Search .273, 134 h rolled the Samenumber as he did. y p y who rolls l2 releases any captured players, whoagain become partici- [56] References cued pants. This comprises kickingthe can which is physically UNITED STATES PATENTS performed by theplayer who rolled l2 placing the can-shaped member upon the springmeans, depressing same, and pro ect- 3,462,l53 8/ 1969 Giraud et al.273/134 ing the can into the air. The game ends upon capture of all3,464,694 9/ l 969 Stan et al. 273/1 playing pieces by the,protector ofthe can.

Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Att0rneyCa1vin J. Laiche 1 Claim 5Drawing Figures 9 sAFE" ZONE OOEIO OAUU CAPTURE J12 KICK m once QQ [jPAIENTEnFEa 15 m2 3. 642.285

. QQUO DOAUQ" SAP? ZONE BOARD GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention pertains to those arts concerned with amusement andeducational devices.

The present invention provides a game which is not only very amusing aswell as educational, but is also simple in construction and inexpensiveto manufacture. It can be designed to allow numerous participants andwhich tests their dexterity, memory, and mathematical reasoning.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I in the drawing is a plan view of theplaying board utilized in playing the present game.

FIG. 2 represents an isometric view of a typical playing piece which isused pursuant to playing the present game.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the can-shaped member which isfiguratively kicked by the player."

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an ordinary pair of dice used to play thepresent game.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of spring means employed in conjunction withthe can member of FIG. 3.

SUMMARY The instant invention provides a game apparatus comprising aplaying board provided with a number of player columns which are dividedinto l0 individual playing positionsnumbered 2 to l l consecutively andwhich extend from a number I position constituting a SAFE ZONE to anumber 12 position constituting a CAPTURE ZONE. The board is alsoprovided with a zone entitled KICK THE CAN wherein a can-shaped memberis positioned by a player for its projection into the air pursuant toplaying the game as hereinafter defined. Resilient means are alsoprovided for projecting the can-shaped member into the air. A pair ofconventional dice and a number of individual playing piecescorresponding to the number of participants are additionally provided.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 in thedrawing, the playing board is provided with a number of player columnscorresponding to the number of participants desired to be allowed toplay the game. These columns extend along one dimension of the board andpreferably comprise about 10. The columns are divided into l0 individualplaying positions or blocks which are numbered2 through I lconsecutively. A number 1 position is provided wherein the playerspieces are initially positioned. This position is entitled SAFE ZONE andis designated by the reference numeral l l. The playing pieces move fromthis zone to the various playing positions 12 in the manner of playingthe game as explained in detail hereinafter.

The board 10 is also provided with the zone 13 entitled CAPTURE ZONEwhich constitutes a number 12 playing position. The zone 13 is furthersubdivided into another area 14 which is entitled CAN wherein aresilient spring means is operably positioned. This area 14 constitutesthe essence of the present game to the extent that the objective of aparticipant is to kick the can," figuratively speaking, by reaching thenumber 12 position and kicking the can by placing the can-shaped member15 of FIG. 3 onto the resilient means 16 and projecting it into the air.correspondingly, the objective of the dealer or protector of the can,"is to capture all of the participants. The zone 13 is also designated asKICK THE CAN since a participant is allowed to do so upon attaining thatposition other than by being captured.

The board 10 is preferably provided with the recessed portions 17wherein the various playing pieces are stored when not in use. Theindividual playing pieces 18, for example as shown in FIG. 2, arepreferably designed or shaped to fit within these recessed portions. Inthe case of the embodiment of FIG. 1, 10 playing pieces would beprovided such as that shown in FIG. 2. The base portion thereof would beshaped to FIG. 5 of the drawing depicts a preferred form of resilientspring means 16 which is operably positioned in the zone entitled CAN.It is adapted to receive the can 15.

FIG. 4 depicts a pair of conventional dice which are employed to playthe present game in the manner set forth hereinafter.

To start the game, all players should dice. The player who diced thelowest is the protector of the can. The player who diced the highestchooses any safe position" in the safe zone. The man he chooses torepresent him must be placed in the row of the same color and having arecess of a shape corresponding to the shape of the base of the manchosen. The remaining players then choose their men and they also mustabide by the rule of placing their men in the row corresponding to thecolor and base shape of their man. Once all players have been placed intheir safe position, the game starts with the player who diced thehighest dicing first. Moving fromleft to right, the next player takeshis turn and so on until all players have had a first turn. Theprotector of the can must always dice after all players have diced.

The key number is l 2. This number when diced only after all playershave had their first dice allows the player to kick the can." lfa playerdices l 2 on his first dice he is permitted to stay in the safe zoneuntil his second turn to'dice comes up. If he dices 12 on his secondturn, which is after all other players, including the protector of thecan, have had their first dice, he is then allowed to "kick the can." Ifhe does not dice 12 on his second dice then he must move out of the safezone to the number which he has diced.

Players who have not diced 12 on their first dice must move out of thesafe zone to the number corresponding to the sum of the dice. Forexample, a player is in the safe zone, he dices and the number is anumber other than 12, then he must move directly to that number. If thatnumber is 7 then he must move down to that number. He is now subject tocapture by the protector of the can.

Once all players have diced, the protector of the can then dices. Allplayers who are on the number corresponding to the number diced by theprotector of the can are captured and are placed in the capture zone onthe bottom of the board. Those players in the capture zone must remainthere until a player dices 12 which allows that player to kick the can."When the can is kicked all captured players are freed.

Players who are not captured after their first dice then dice a secondtime. A player who dices a number higher than the number which he is onmust move to that number. For example, a player is on number 2 and henow dices 8," then he must now move to number 8. If a player dices anumber lower than the number which he is on he is permitted the choiceof remaining on that number or moving back to the lower number. Before aplayer moves back to a lower number he should decide which number offershim the safest position. By safe position is meant a position as closeas possible to the number 2 or 11 since the probability of the protectorof the can dicing these numbers is less. In other words, based uponprobability when rolling a pair of dice, there are more combinations ofnumbers that can be diced to achieve the number 7. As you recede fromthe number 7 in either direction, that is, toward number 2 and number I1, respectively, the probability factor becomes greater. For example,number 2 can only be diced one way, that is, by dicing number I on eachdie, whereas, in the case of number 1 1, it can be diced two ways, thatis, by dicing 5 or 6 on one die and 6 or 5 on the other, respectively.Accordingly number 2 thereby represents the safest position on the boardand number 1 l the second safest.

A player who dices the same number which he is on is allowed to returnto the safe zone where he is given three consecutive turns to dice. Ifhe does not dice 12 on his third dice he must again move out to thenumber corresponding to the sum of his last dice. If he should dice 12"during his three chances he is permitted to kick the can.

Any player who dices 12 any time after his first dice can approach thecan and kick it. When the can is kicked by any player all captured menare freed. All men then must immediately return to their originalposition in the safe zone. This must be donebefore the protector of thecan can place the can back into its original position. Any player whohas not returned to his starting position by the time the can is placedback into its position is captured and placed in the captured zone. Theperson who is the protector of the can remains the same until allplayers are captured. Only when all players are captured is theprotector of the can allowed to change position. I

The player who was captured first then becomes the new protector of thecan. The last protector of the can is then given the option of positionin the safe zone. He then starts the game by dicing first.

The present game can be constructed of any appropriate material ofconstruction, e.g., the board can be made of cardboard, plastic, etc.,and constructed either in a solid piece or in sections to be folded.

What I claim is new is:

1. Game apparatus comprising a playing board having defined thereon aplurality of player columns, each divided into l0 individual playingpositions consecutively numbered 2 to 1 1, an area of said board abovesaid columns being labeled Safe Zone, and an area of said board belowsaid columns being numbered 12 and labeled Capture Zone; a number ofplaying pieces equal to the number of player columns; a pair ofconventional dice, each die having its faces marked with indiciarepresenting the numbers 1 to 6, respectively;

said playing board being further provided with a zone labeled CAN,

resilient means operably positioned within the zone on said boarddesignated CAN; and

a can-shaped game piece adapted to mate with said resilient means forpositioning thereon and projection thereby when released.

1. Game apparatus comprising a playing board having defined thereon aplurality of player columns, each divided into 10 individual playingpositions consecutively numbered 2 to 11, an area of said board abovesaid columns being labeled Safe Zone, and an area of said board belowsaid columns being numbered 12 and labeled Capture Zone; a number ofplaying pieces equal to the number of player columns; a pair ofconvenTional dice, each die having its faces marked with indiciarepresenting the numbers 1 to 6, respectively; said playing board beingfurther provided with a zone labeled CAN, resilient means operablypositioned within the zone on said board designated CAN; and acan-shaped game piece adapted to mate with said resilient means forpositioning thereon and projection thereby when released.